Rome Township Trustee Betty Jo Halliwill was remembered Friday by her board peers as a tireless advocate for the community.

Halliwill died unexpectedly Friday, March 7, at the age of 72. Funeral arrangements are pending at the Anderson Funeral Home in Adrian. She previously served as township treasurer before being re-elected to the board in November 2012 as a trustee.

Township Supervisor Al Boggs said Friday he was shocked by her passing.

“She was greatly concerned about the community and a stickler when it came to the taxpayers’ money, which was a good thing,” Boggs said.

Boggs said she was passionate about the condition of the township roads and, as a previous substitute mail carrier, was concerned about having clear paths to township mailboxes over the harsh winter.

In fact, a letter to the editor written by Halliwill on the topic appeared in Friday’s edition of The Daily Telegram.

Trustee Harvey Warrick said Halliwill “certainly was an advocate for things she believed in.”

“She was the town crier for getting various news items

out into the community,” Warrick said. “We appreciated her passion for serving.”

Clerk Wayne Boggs said Halliwill had a “passion for doing good for the entire community.”

“She really had involvement in many things in the township and Onsted,” he said. “She tried to keep everyone informed and get people involved. She definitely didn’t like people sitting around and doing nothing. She went out of her way to keep people informed via Facebook and email.”

Boggs said the board will likely begin the “sad but necessary” process of replacing her at the next board meeting on Thursday, March 13. The board will consider letters of interest and could appoint a successor as early as next month.